Family Diversity

Modernism and the Nuclear Family
1. Functionalism
  1. The traditional nuclear family is the best fit for modern society- opposed to family diversity
  2. The "Cereal Packet Family"- the family has moved away from being extended, and is now isolated & nuclear
  3. Many institutions now fulfil those roles e.g. NHS, benefits
  4. Evaluation- McGlone: the extended family is helpful and supportive (mainly in working class due to unemployment and poverty)
2. The New Right
  1. Opposed to family diversity, they believe the traditional nuclear family is the only type of family children should be brought up
  2. Charles Murray- single parent household are the most important social issue of our time
  3. They base it on biological differences and there should be a clear cut division of labour
  4. Evaluation- Ann Oakley: the traditional family is based on the oppression of women, Weeks: sexual and family diversity are now widely accepted
3. Cohabitation vs Marriage
  1. Benson- couples are more stable when they marry as it requires deliberate commitment, cohabiting avoid commitment and responsibilties
4. Neo-Conventional Family
  1. Chester- sees the nuclear family as dominant (like functionalist) but both spouses play an "instrumental" role- dual earning
Types of Family Diversity
1. Rapoport & Rapoport
  1. Nuclear family is a minority of families
  2. Organisational diversity- differences in the way family roles are organised e.g. joint or segregated conjugal roles
  3. Cultural diversity- different cultures, religious and ethnic groups have different family structures e.g. higher proportion of female-headed families among Afro-Caribbean households
  4. Social class diversity- differences are partly the result of income differences between households of different classes
  5. Life-stage diversity- differ according to the stages reached in the life cycle e.g. newlyweds, children, retired couple
  6. Generational diversity- old vs young generations have different attitudes and experiences that reflect the historical periods of time they’ve lived in (different views on morality and divorce)
Postmodernism
1. Diversity and fragmentation- people can “pick and mix” their identities and lifestyles for a wide range of choices
2. Rapid social change- new technologies have transformed our patterns of work and leisure- makes life less predictable
3. David Morgan
  1. No point in making large-scale generalisation (functionalist)
  2. He prefers family practises rather than structure- members participate by constructing a life course & relationships with family due to their own decisions
4. David Cheal- society has entered a new, chaotic, postmodern stage- family structure is fragmented and diverse (greater choice)
Individualisational Thesis
1. Giddens
  1. “Pure relationship”- they exist solely to meet the needs of each partner and continue so long as it succeeds in doing so
  2. Same-sex relationships are leading the way towards new family types & creating more equal relationships
2. Beck
  1. Risk society- tradition has less influence and people have more choice
  2. Previous generations had more fixed roles and didn't take any risks
  3. The negotiated family- there's now greater gender equality and individualism, so we now calculate the risks and rewards of different actions and decisions
  4. The zombie family- it appears to be alive, but is dead
3. Criticisms
  1. Exaggerates how much choice people have, however norms limit freedom- religion, finances
  2. The Connectedness Thesis
Personal Life Perspective
1. Smart- The Connectedness Thesis: choices are made "within a web of connectedness"
2. Finch and Mason- although individuals can (to some extent) negotiate the relationships they want, they’re embedded within family connections & obligations that restrict freedom of choice
3. Giddens "pure relationship"- families include more than the couples he focused on- relationships aren't always pure e.g. parents who separated stay in touch for the children

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Family Diversity

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